Tuesday, April 26, 2005

Three times around the pattern

This morning I met my instructor at the airport at the somewhat early hour of half past six. Once I got the airplane all pre-flighted, we hopped in, started it, and got to taxing. The tower wasn't quite in operation yet, so we taxied over to the only open runway and took off. After my second near flawless landing, the tower came alive and asked me to transition to the other runway as they were going to have a truck driving on the runway we were landing on. After making the transition we did about two touch and go's and I was making my way around for the third one when my instructor said, " Allright let me make the radio calls this time around."

"Ok" I replied with more than a little bit of supspicion.

"Five mike juliet, cleared touch and go one-six left." The radio cackled.

"Five mike juliet would like to make this a full stop landing, I'm going to hop out and then my student is going to do three on his own." my instructor replied. I landed the airplane got to one of the taxiway intersections and my instructor contacted ground control, "Paine Ground cessna two two five mike juliet at golf four, I'm going be hopping out and then my student is going to be taxing back to the runway for touch and go's."

Doesn't sound to terribly hard, does it? I'd done it several times before, only this time there would be noone in the right seat.

"Five mike juliet, taxi to runway one-six left and tell your student good luck". He then hopped out of the airplane and I taxied back to the runway and called up the tower.
"Paine tower cessna two two five mike juliet is ready for departure one-six left, staying in the pattern for touch and go's"

"Five mike juliet cleared for takeoff one-six left, make left close traffic." came the voice over the radio.

"Cleared for takeoff one-six left, make left close traffic five mike juliet" I replied concisely. I taxied out onto the runway, pushed the throttle in and got airborn.

I had made two pretty good landings and was halfway to making my third when the controller came back on the radio.
"Five mike juliet verify you would like to make this a full stop landing"

"I would like to make that a full stop landing for five mike juliet" I replied.

"Five mike juliet cleared to land one-six left" He returned

"Cleared to land one-six left, five mike juliet" came my reply again. After I had landed the controller told me to contact ground control on the frequency 121.8 and added a "good job". I got off the runway, got the aircraft all cleaned up, changed frequencies and made my call.
"Paine ground, cessna two two five mike juliet at golf four, request taxi to central parking."

"Five mike juliet taxi as requested, good job" she replied

I taxied and parked the airplane with a smile on my face that will probably remain here for the rest of today.